This invention relates to identification tags and systems for luggage.
Many travelers attempt to uniquely identify their luggage to allow quick and easy identification of checked bags and to prevent confusion. Many different identification attempts are known, including tying a colored ribbon to the handle of the bag or placing colored or whimsical stickers over the bag. However, most commonly travelers use tasteful luggage tags—many of which are supplied by the manufacturer of the luggage. Accordingly, manufacturers try to provide a distinctive identification tag on all luggage items in their lines. Most travelers understand that the luggage itself cannot readily be distinguished from similar luggage from another manufacture, and that many other travelers will have the exact same make and model bag as their own. Thus, in most instances the only way that a particular luggage item can be identified is by looking at a personal identification card inserted in the identification tag, which often cannot be viewed until the luggage item is so close as to make it difficult to both identify the item and retrieve it from the carousel before it moves out of reach.
Adding to the difficulty, many tags incorporate flap-covered windows to ensure the anonymity of the owner. In those instances, the traveler has to open the flap and view the ID card in order to identify his/her luggage item which makes it all the more difficult to identify and retrieve the item.
Attempts to improve the status quo in luggage tags include the reference of U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,987 issued to Fenton on 6 Jan. 2004. Fenton teaches a luggage identification tag consisting of an envelope assembled from front and rear members of natural leather and a transparent plastic sheet sandwiched between the two leather members. The rear member includes a flap, formed from a U-shaped cut. A tongue protruding from the front member overlaps the flap and snap fastener fastens the cover to the tongue. An ID card inserts between the two members, oriented to present the owner's information when the flap is unfastened and opened from the rear member. The front member includes a color card window that exposes a color card at all times. The color card is selected from several different colors enabling the owner to select a color of choice and thereby serving as a first indicator of ownership—however still requiring a reading of the ID portion of the tag to confirm unique ownership of the luggage associate with this tag.
And, U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,365 issued to Caplan on 2 Apr. 2002 teaches an adaptable luggage identification system including combinations of adhesive stickers, plastic tags, business card holders and other envelope-type tags having various colors and shapes. Specifically, in one embodiment a flexible, clear-plastic card with distinctive patterns in assorted colors.
And, U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,284 issued to Ashley on 25 Dec. 1979 teaches a kit for making and identifying luggage including a tag having distinctive geometrical shapes having a color selected from a set of colors. The tag consists of a planar label with an adhesive coating on the backside and a combination of a color and one geometric shape covering a significant portion of the front face. Further, a large block alphanumeric character locates within the borders of the geometrical shape.
Despite these attempts to improve upon the status quo, there remains yet a need for an economical to produce, simple to operate, easy to identify from greater distances, luggage tag system and method of use. Such an improved system should provide for multiple combinations of possible display elements to increase the probability that a given traveler's luggage has a unique combination of luggage color, luggage manufacture, and an easy to read I.D. tag. Such an improved tag need not replace existing tags that include the personal identification of the traveler, but rather, should be a system that augments this and focuses solely on uniquely identifying luggage from a greater distance than is currently possible.